Psalms 39

1 To the chief Musician, [even] to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

I said [to myself], “I will be careful not to sin by the things that I say [MTY]. I will not say anything [to complain] while wicked people are near to me [and can hear me].”

2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, [even] from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

[So] I was completely silent [DOU], and I did not [even] talk about things that were good, but it was useless, because I began to suffer even more.

3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: [then] I spoke with my tongue.

I became very anxious/worried [IDM]. As I thought [about my troubles], I became more worried. Then [finally] I said [MTY],

4 LORD, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it [is]; [that] I may know how frail I [am].

“Yahweh, show/tell me how long I will live. Tell me when I will die. Tell me how many years I will live!

5 Behold, thou hast made my days [as] a hand-breadth; and my age [is] as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state [is] altogether vanity. (Selah)

[It seems that] you have caused me to live only a short time; (my lifetime/all the time that I have lived) seems like nothing to you. The time that all we humans live is [as short as] [MET] a puff of wind.

6 Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Then we disappear like a shadow does. It seems that all that we do is for nothing/useless. We [sometimes] get a lot of money, but we do not know who will get it [after we die].

7 And now, LORD, what wait I for? my hope [is] in thee.

So now, Yahweh, if I expect [RHQ] [to receive blessings from other people], I will be disappointed. You are the [only] one from whom I confidently expect [to receive blessings].

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

Save me from [being punished for] all the sins that I have committed. And do not allow foolish people to make fun of me.

9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst [it].

I did not say anything [when you punished me], because [I knew that] you were the one who caused [me to suffer].

10 Remove thy stroke away from me; I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.

But now, please stop punishing me! [If you do not do that], I am about to die because of the ways that you [SYN] have struck/afflicted me.

11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man [is] vanity. (Selah)

When you rebuke someone and punish him for the sin that he has committed, you destroy the things that (he loves/are precious to him), like moths’ [larva] destroy clothing. Our lives [disappear like] a puff of wind.

12 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I [am] a stranger with thee, [and] a sojourner, as all my fathers [were].

Yahweh, listen to me while I pray; pay attention to me while I cry out to you. Help me while I am crying. I am here on the earth for only a short time, like all my ancestors.

13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

[Now] please leave me alone, [and do not punish me any more] in order that I may smile and be happy for a while before I die. [EUP, DOU]”